The relieving this kingdom from every expence, that can with safety be avoided, is, in its present state, a consideration of the greatest importance, it is one great object of this plan, and I have it in command from the King in an especial manner to recommend to you the strictest (Economy in those services, the expence of which is to be defrayed by this Kingdom • and it is His Majesty's pleasure that, after consulting with General Gage, you should make out some certain Estimate of what you think the state of the service in your department may require, to be laid before His Majesty for His consideration, in order to the determining whether any greater sum than that recommended by the Board of Trade, should be finally allowed for this service. In the mean time, and untill you receive the King's further commands, it is His Majesty's pleasure that the annual expence of the service should on no account exceed that sura.

His Majesty observes by General Gage's letters, received at the same time with your's, that you have estimated the expence of running the boundary line at no less a sum than ^£10,000 Sterling, which, without knowing the ground on which this calculation is made, appears to imply demands on the part of the savages, which cannot but be thought very unreasonable, when it is considered that the settlement of this business has been so long earnestly sohcited by them, and that the line proposed does in many places preclude from settlement lands that were before supposed not to be contested by them, and does in others add less to His Majesty's dominion than what themselves proposed in the negotiation with you in 1765.